Communications Team: Gear and Supplies

Purpose

Item

Notes

Communication devices

• Two-way radios: FSR, GMRS, ham radio 

• Satellite phones

• Antennas

• Extension cords

To create a communications system among Disaster Hubs, Emergency Operations Center, and Community-Level Centers

Receiving information

• Hand-crank, solar, or battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio with tone alerts

To get weather updates

Low-tech signaling

• Emergency whistles

• Flares

To get attention when all technology is unuseable

Field operations

• Mobile command centers

• Deployable cell sites (drones, trucks)

To facilitate communications in the field

Ham radio in a box

• Radio

• Power sources like batteries, solar charge controllers, and connectors for external power

• Antennas

• Accessories such as microphones, programming cables for field programming, digital mode interfaces, meters, and digital QSL cards 

• Durable, transportable container

For Disaster Hubs and Community Emergency Centers

Power

• Extra batteries

• Uninterruptible power supplies

• Generators and fuel

• Solar generators (1500 W/hour)

• Portable generator (2K–3K W)

• Surge protectors

To power the communications technology

Personal protective equipment

• Helmets

• Goggles

• N95 masks

• Chemical-resistant gloves

• Sturdy boots

• Flashlights and headlamps

• Weather-protective clothing

• Maps

• Compasses

• USB charging cables and chargers

• GPS

• Personal first aid kit

• Food 

• Water

To keep volunteers safe and able to do their jobs

Record keeping

• Paper

• Pens

• Forms (Incident Command System, Damage assessment reports)

• To track damage

• To record frequencies and communication information

Support equipment

• Starlink satellite internet kit

• Mesh wifi router system (3-pack)

• Network switch (8-16 ports)

• Weather-resistant equipment case

• Extension cords

• Power adapters

• Basic network testing equipment

• Backup UPS battery system

• Antennas

• Coaxial cables

• Repeaters

• Packet radio networks

• Professional satellite communication array

• Mesh network system

• Drone

• Cybersecurity system

• Network monitoring and protection software

• Emergency Cloud services

• Backup data storage